As She Waltzes
by Makoto Fins
Summary: Ymir comes from a broken family. She hides her sadness and fear behind her eyes, her friends oblivious to her pain. But when Christa waltzes into her life, how will her fate change? (yumikuri, Ymir x Christa. Rated M for language, violence, abuse, and possible sexual content)
1. Broken Beginnings

Ymir sat on the edge of the sidewalk, finishing a blue popsicle. The afternoon sun was warm and she stared at its light through the tree tops. _How ugly,_ she thought, tossing the popsicle stick to the side. She stood up and shoved her hands in her pockets.

She made her way home slowly, not really wanting to but having nowhere else to go. The sun was setting quickly and she needed to be back before sundown. She was only halfway home, and the sun was already partially past the horizon. Beginning to panic slightly, she picked up speed until she was at a flat out run. As she reached her house, she stopped in front of the neighbor's, hands on her knees and panting. After a minute she stood up straight, regaining her composure and pushing her bangs out of her face. Quietly walking to her porch, she tiptoed up the steps and gingerly opened the door. Its rusty hinges creaked, and she cringed as the shrill sound filled her ears. She knew what would come next.

Her name was bellowed from the living room, the all too familiar smell of beer lingering in the air. Her hand trembled slightly and she stepped into the house reluctantly, another long creak resounding from the door as it clicked shut behind her.

"Y-yes?" Ymir croaked, shuffling to the living room. She was greeted with a familiar sight. Her dad sat in front of the TV, the floor littered with beer bottles and trash. She had just cleaned it up two days ago; she should just stop bothering.

"Look outshide."

Ymir obeyed, seeing it was dark out. She gulped.

"Whaddaya see?"

"The sun has set."

"And?"

"Um, the neighbor's have three new lawn ornaments?"

"Nah, ish dark and ya just came home, idiot!"

Ymir's breath caught in her throat. She knew shouldn't have responded like that, she knew…

"Ya _know_ ya shouldn' be out at nigh', Ymir, you fuckin' idiot!"

Ymir closed her eyes and waited for him to calm down.

"Look a' me."

Ymir kept her eyes shut for a few more moments, before slowly opening them, her dad looming over her.

"Ya can' goddamn stay out this late," he growled, thrusting his hand, a half empty beer bottle in it, towards the window. "It's too fuckin' dangerous!"

He was obviously drunk, his clothes reeking of alcohol; she was surprised his speech was even understandable.

"I'm sorry, I tried to-" Ymir mumbled, but was cut off by her dad shoving her shoulder. She took a step back, and looked up at him, not liking the sight she saw.

"Liar! Ya just don' respect me, is that it?" he slurred, hitting his chest for emphasis.

"I do! I just-"

"Liar!"

He shoved her shoulder again. She fell back and hit the wall, her head bouncing off and her dad's shouts ringing in her ears.

"Ya goddamn-" her dad began, clutching his bottle tightly and raising it. Ymir ducked and ran to the side, grabbing the railing and flying up the stairs. She heard the bottle break and a loud 'fuck' from her dad. She didn't stop running until she reached her room, slamming the door and locking it.

Her back resting against the cold wood, she panted and gulped for air, the back of her head throbbing. She slid down to floor, her knees to her chest and face in her hands, choked sobs muffled.

* * *

A/N: wow whenever I write emotional scenes I feel like I get carried away. Anyways, please leave a review, thanks! -Mako


	2. Invitation to the Dance Op 65

Light shone through the curtain less window, blinding Ymir and she opened her eyes and slowly sat up. She had fallen asleep on the floor and her body ached.

"Goddamn sun," she grumbled, standing up shakily and shuffling to her bed. Unable to sleep, despite being on a slightly more comfortable surface (truthfully it was horrid and full of lumps, but better than a wood floor), she sighed and grabbed her phone from the nightstand. It was an old phone; she never really used it, so why should she spend extra money on a smart phone? A good ol' flip phone was enough for her.

She had a new text from Connie; all of his texts were usually stupid and a waste of time. She had half a mind to ignore him and try to sleep, but she decided to read it anyways.

_"Are you going to open house today?"_

Well, shit.

Ymir groaned and rolled over, burying her face in her pillow. School was starting in three days, and she was not ready for it at all. After a few minutes of attempting to sleep again, she peeled herself off her mattress and to her door. She unlocked it, hesitating to open it. She knew her dad wouldn't have waited outside her door all night, but that didn't stop her from picturing his furious face behind the thin piece of wood.

She slowly pulled the door open and peeked out. The hallway was clear, and she began to make her quiet trek to the bathroom down the hall. Once she was safely inside, she locked the door and breathed out a sigh of relief. She turned to the mirror.

Her hair was a mess, strands falling out of her ponytail and tangles in between. Her face wasn't much better, bags under her eyes and her face feeling filthy. Her shirt hung off her shoulders and her pants clung to her legs; she was tall and much too skinny, but it was hard to find food in the house of an unemployed alcoholic.

Taking off her shirt and slipping out of her jeans, she turned on the water in the shower. As she waited for it to heat up, she stared at herself in the mirror, half naked. She wasn't too frail and skinny- she did have some muscle. She exercised a lot, running and walking and wrestling with Reiner. Staying out of the house all day, what else would she do?

Her skin was littered with bruises and cuts. They all had their own story. The bruise on her knee was from tripping during P.E. The cuts on her forearm were from a beer bottle her dad hit her with a month ago. The one on her palm was from a nail sticking out of her closet door. They covered her, and made her want to puke.

Shaking her head, she took off the rest of her clothes and stepped under the running water. It wasn't as warm as she'd like, but if she used up the hot water her dad would be furious. She washed her hair and scrubbed her body, avoiding some nasty cuts. She finished up quickly, as to not raise the water bill.

As she was drying her hair with a towel, her phone began to beep. She checked it- another text from Connie.

_"Well, are you?"_

Ymir slung the towel over her shoulder and replied.

_"Only to get my schedule."_

A reply came quick.

_"Okay, open house starts at 9."_

She set her phone down next to the sink and finished drying off. Once dry, she wrapped herself in the towel, picked up her clothes and phone, and made her way back to her room.

The birds were chirping loudly and gave Ymir a headache. A lump had formed on the back of her head from the night before, which didn't help at all. She winced as she accidentally touched it while tying her hair up. Her towel fell to the floor and she opened up her closet, making sure to stay away from that damned nail. She slipped on her under garments and grabbed a grey shirt and some dark brown jeans. She didn't have much stylish clothing, but she wasn't really one to wear anything too fashionable anyways.

Ymir made her way downstairs, seeing her dad snoring in front of the TV, which was still on. She didn't want to accidentally wake him up by trying to turn it off, so she just left without bothering.

The birds were even louder without the window to muffle them and the sun was too bright. She could complain all morning. Instead of grumbling about the annoying bugs that kept flying up her nose, she checked her phone and decided to call Sasha.

"Ymir! Are you going to the open house?"

"I was just about to ask you."

"Well duh, I want to see all my friends! So are you going?"

"Yeah, but not staying long. I'm just gonna get my schedule and leave."

"Well, suit yourself. See ya there!"

Sasha hung up and Ymir sighed. Talking to her was tiring; that girl was so full of energy.

Ymir approached the highs chool, rolling her shoulders and wincing a bit as her right shoulder throbbed. She spotted Sasha, her brown hair pulled up into its usual ponytail. Connie was talking to her and Marco, a tall freckled boy who would hang out with them occasionally.

"Hey, shortcake. How've ya been?" Ymir grinned, punching Connie's arm harder than needed.

"Well, other than a sore arm, pretty good." He replied, rubbing the sore spot.

"Ymir! I couldn't tell if you were being serious or not on the phone, you usually skip out on this stuff." Sasha smiled, jumping up and down.

"Yeah, well I'd like to avoid confusion like last year." Ymir chuckled a bit. Last year she skipped out on open house, and apparently wandering the halls and whistling loudly was not what vice principals find amusing.

"Ymir! You showed up this year!" A large hand clamped onto her right shoulder and she sucked in a breath.

"Reiner!" she grinned, ignoring her screaming limb. She wiggled out of his grasp and punched his stomach.

"You're never gonna knock me down, freckles." He chuckled, pulling on her ponytail.

"That won't stop me from trying, big boy."

Ever since Reiner had told her he planned to join the wrestling club, she had always been trying to find a way to knock him down- at least make him stumble a bit. Even after he joined the club she kept trying to knock him down, but she never succeeded.

"God damned abs of steel," Ymir jokingly complained, rubbing her knuckles.

Watching Connie attempt to knock down Reiner and Sasha sharing her poptarts with Marco, Ymir realized how much she really missed them over the summer.

* * *

A/N: I edited this myself (my friend usually helps but not this time), and I hope I got all the mistakes.

Oh, and I got a review earlier saying that Ymir was a bit OOC in chapter one. Yeah, I admit she was really OOC, but in a situation like that, and living with a father like her's, that's how I think she'd act around him. She's more in character when she's around her friends. I hope to show more character development soon, so please keep reading ^^

A review would make my day, thanks! -Mako


	3. Waltz in C Major

Yeah, school is always a bummer. No one likes school (well maybe Armin but he's actually smart). Ymir was no exception; but she had to admit she'd rather be at school than home.

For the next two days Ymir was dragged along to go 'school shopping' with Sasha. Really, Sasha just wanted to go to Marco's family's pastry shop, but she wanted an excuse to hang out with her friend as well (Sasha's parents weren't very fond of Ymir due of her bad attitude). Ymir didn't mind much really, she missed her optimistic friend. Sasha had been gone to Ireland all summer to visit family, much to Ymir's disappointment. Sasha was sort of the bridge between Ymir and the others, and without her Ymir wasn't that comfortable with anyone else. Sure, Reiner and Bertholdt were cool, but Sasha was Ymir's first friend. She introduced her to everyone. Ymir was greatful for her.

"Don't you feel like a freshman again?" Sasha grinned, skipping in front of Ymir and Connie.

"Unfortunately," Ymir yawned. It was too early for her, way too early. How she managed to get through her freshman year let alone middle school was still a blur to her.

"How are you this excited at this time of day…" Connie scowled. His eyes were puffy from lack of sleep and he hunched his back and he carried his books and his bag.

"It's not _that_ early!" Sasha said in a 'duh' way.

"Yeah, but dumb nuts stays up all night playing video games instead of sleeping," Ymir nodded at the short boy next to her and stiffled another yawn.

"You would too if you had a console." He shot back, rubbing his eyes.

"Come one come on before we're late!" Sasha panicked, running ahead.

The beginning of year assembly was boring as usual, Ymir sleeping through most of it. They headed back to their second period class, Sasha eating some pretzels from a small bag. Sasha had low blood pressure, so she needed to eat and drink all the time or else she'd get light headed, or, wost case scenario, pass out. Ymir took one of her pretzels and munched on it, Sasha not caring. She was used to Ymir taking bits of her food now and then; she didn't mind.

"Ymir Halling."

"Here." Ymir raised her hand lazily, her cheek resting in her hand. The teacher took attendance, and Ymir ticked off each person in her head as their names were called. She knew everyone; not saying she liked them, she just knew them.

"Christa Renz."

Ymir perked up, her head lifting up a little bit. She's never met a Christa in this town, let alone school. There was Christine, a four year old in her neighborhood, but not a Christa.

"Here." Ymir peaked over her shoulder, seeing a petite girl raising her hand. She had her hair down, straight blonde locks falling just below her shoulders. Ymir quickly turned back around- she didn't want to be caught staring at the new girl. A minute later, she turned around again, peeking at Christa. Her features were so soft; her skin, her blue eyes, her hair. She looked so… _soft._

_Unpleasant thoughts_, Ymir shook her head and looked back at the board. _Soft…_ Ymir chuckled lightly at herself.

The rest of the class dragged by. Ymir paid little attention, instead drawing on her desk with her eraser and throwing bits of crumpled paper at the back of Connie's head.

* * *

The first day of school always made Christa nervous, but she was surprised at how boring it was. Instead of messing around like at her old school, everyone just sat there or slept. _It's probably because it's the first day,_ she though. _Everyone's tired and bummed out about summer ending._

She was playing with her pencil, rolling it between her fingers and clicking it, making more pencil lead slide out. She saw something fly past her, and she looked around, spotting a small crumpled piece of paper by her foot. She picked it up and uncrumpled it- blank. She looked around and spotted a girl chucking pieces of paper at the back of a boy's head. The girl was tall and tan, her short hair pulled back in a low ponytail. The boy was short, his head shaved. He kept flinching everytime the paper hit him, and he would swat around his head even when no paper was being thrown. This amused Christa, and she watched the two mess around a bit more until the teacher yelled at the boy to stop moving around. The girl chuckled to herself and the boy glared daggers at her, but neither said anything.

When the bell rang, Christa gathered her things and stood up, heading for the door. As she turned into the hallway, she felt someone tap her shoulder and she squeaked and jumped a bit.

"Sorry! Sorry…" She turned around and saw a boy standing behind her, smiling nervously and holding twice as many books as she was. He was a bit taller than her, and had the same shade of blonde hair as her. His hair was in a bowl cut, however, reaching just past his chin. His eyes were blue, like her's as well.

"Ah! No, it's fine!" Christa laughed a bit, the nervousness in her voice obvious as well.

"Um, I just wanted to welcome you to the school!" the boy said, smiling and holding out his hand. He stood in an awkward position, trying to hold all of his books with one arm, but insisted on shaking her hand nonetheless.

"Oh, thank you." Christa smiled, shaking his hand quickly so he could return to holding his books with full support.

"I'm Armin, by the way." He blurted, remembering he hadn't introduced himself.

"I'm Christa, it's nice to meet you. Um, I have to get to class…" Christa trailed off, looking over her shoulder.

"Oh! Yeah, well I'll see you around, okay? If you need any help just ask me!" Armin smiled and waved, heading in the opposite direction.

Christa found it amusing how similar she and Armin were; she made a note to remember to ask why Armin had so many books.

* * *

"So what's for lunch today?" Reiner asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Cheeseburgers." Ymir replied, making a disgusted face. She may not have brought a lunch, but school lunch is worse than skipping a meal by far.

"Hey, it's not that bad! Better than middle school," Reiner coughed, heading for the lunch line. "A big guy's gotta eat!"

"Did you see the new girl?" Sasha asked, sitting down and opening a bottle of water. "She's so cute!"

_Yeah, she is,_ Ymir thought, glancing around to see if said new girl was around. She spotted her in the lunch line getting a salad. She sat down three tables away from Ymir, taking out soda from her purse and cracking the cap open.

"Am I right?" Ymir turned back to Sasha, who was looking at her expectantly.

"Right about what?"

"That she's cute!"

"She looks annoying to me." Connie chimed in.

"Like you're one to talk." Ymir snorted at his comment. Connie stuck out his tongue in response.

"She's sitting all alone…" Sasha pointed out, pouting. "We should invite her here."

"No way!" Connie argued. "I want to see how annoying she is before inviting her anywhere."

Ymir didn't know why, but she half agreed with Connie. She didn't think Christa looked annoying, but she did want to wait to see what kind of person Christa was before taking any actions.

* * *

A/N: I did a quick edit this time, so I hope there aren't too many mistakes or confusing parts. I had this written for a while, but I didn't get around to finishing or editing it until now (I would make some lame "I was busy" excuse but in all honesty i spent the entire winter break blogging my bedroom).

I chose Halling as Ymir's last name. Halling is a Norwegian folk dance (some versions can also be found in Sweden). I thought it fit since Ymir is a name from Norse mythology and that she's dubbed the "dancing titan".

Also I'm naming all the chapters after the titles of different waltzes (except chapter one since that was more of a prologue). This chapter is named after "Waltz in C Major" by Anton Diabelli. I thought the sort of upbeat tune of it fit with the first day of school making everyone nervous and excited, and kinda bummed out and goofy too.

Um, I think that's all I have to say this time, so please leave a review if you can, thank you! -Mako


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